The entertainment world is mourning the loss of actress Kelley Mack, best known for her role in The Walking Dead, who passed away on August 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. The heartbreaking news came just weeks after she celebrated her 33rd birthday on July 10.

The announcement was shared by her family through CaringBridge, a nonprofit health platform, and on her Instagram page via a heartfelt statement written by her sister, Kathryn.

“Kelley passed peacefully on Saturday evening with her loving mother Kristen and steadfast aunt Karen present,” Kathryn wrote. “She was a bright, fervent light who will be missed by so many to depths that words cannot express.”

A Courageous Health Battle

According to her family, Kelley died after battling glioma of the central nervous system, a rare and aggressive brain cancer. The Mayo Clinic explains that gliomas begin in the brain or spinal cord, forming tumors that can press on surrounding tissues. Malignant gliomas are particularly fast-spreading and challenging to treat.

Kelley had been open about her health journey, sharing updates with fans earlier this year. On November 2024’s Thanksgiving Eve, an emergency MRI revealed “an abnormal mass in my spinal cord,” she wrote on Instagram. The diagnosis was diffuse midline glioma, a rare form of astrocytoma.

“Due to the biopsy surgery on my spinal cord, I have lost the use of my right leg and most of my left leg,” she revealed on January 3. “I now get around with a walker and a wheelchair.”

Despite her physical challenges, Kelley remained hopeful and leaned on her family, boyfriend Logan Lanier, and her faith for strength.

Fighting with Grace and Positivity

On January 13, Kelley began proton radiation treatment in Cincinnati. She described her sessions with light humor, comparing them to filming a futuristic spaceship scene.

By February, she shared that she was “feeling very positive overall,” enjoying time with her father, making progress with physical therapy, recording a voice-over for a national commercial, and meeting former baseball player George Foster.

In March, Kelley completed her radiation treatment and traveled to Florida with loved ones to focus on recovery. She credited their unwavering support for helping her cope with the “ups and downs” of healing.

Remembering Kelley Mack

Born Kelley Lynne Klebenow in Cincinnati, she later lived in Wyoming, Mt. Lookout, and Hinsdale, Illinois, where she graduated from Hinsdale Central High School in 2010. She went on to earn a degree in cinematography from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film in 2014.

Kelley built a steady career in Los Angeles over the past 11 years. She rose to prominence playing Addy in The Walking Dead (2018–2019), and appeared in Chicago Med, Broadcast Signal Intrusion, 9-1-1, Vincent, Violet, and Universal. She also contributed behind the scenes on the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Besides her sister Kathryn, Kelley is survived by her parents Kristen and Lindsay Klebenow, her brother Parker, grandparents Lois and Larry Klebenow, and her boyfriend Logan.

A remembrance service will take place on August 16 at the Glendale Lyceum in Ohio, with a separate celebration of life planned in Los Angeles.

A Week of Loss in Hollywood

Kelley’s death comes amid another notable loss in the entertainment world. On August 3, legendary actress Loni Anderson passed away in Los Angeles just two days before her 80th birthday.

Born August 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Anderson became a television icon through her role as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982), earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She challenged stereotypes by portraying a glamorous yet intelligent receptionist, inspiring a generation of women.

Throughout her career, Anderson starred in Stroker Ace, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas, and many other beloved productions.

She was married four times, including a high-profile union with actor Burt Reynolds, with whom she shared a son, Quinton. Anderson is survived by her husband Bob Flick, her children and grandchildren, and extended family.

A private service will be held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Both Kelley Mack and Loni Anderson leave behind legacies of strength, talent, and inspiration, touching fans and colleagues alike.